Growing up in Australia, it wasn't easy for Diamondbacks pitcher Ryan Rowland-Smith to get his baseball fix.

The 31-year-old remembers burning out on rugby by the age of 11 or 12. He caught a bit of a baseball game on TV, and for some reason it captured his imagination.

But baseball was way down the pecking order in terms of sports Australians favored — below rugby, Aussie Rules Football and cricket, among others — and most of his exposure came from repeated viewings of a tape of the 1993 World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Philadelphia Phillies.

"I could tell you the whole lineups and everything that happened because I watched them over and over and over," Rowland-Smith said. "I was infatuated. I had to seek out the local Little League and found it, found the local baseball community, people I've kept in contact with to this day."

Rowland-Smith is accompanying the team to Australia, and will pitch for Team Australia against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday. On Friday, he'll be in uniform for the Diamondbacks' game against the Aussie national team and could get some game action.

If Diamondbacks President and CEO Derrick Hall has his way, the team's trip Down Under will make it a lot easier for young Australians to follow in Rowland-Smith's footsteps. Hall said the team volunteered for the international assignment in order to help raise its profile outside the U.S.

"The more that we can get out there internationally, it'll help our chances in trying to recruit talent and build relationships when it comes to finding players and scouting," Hall said.

Members of Arizona's front office, along with players Patrick Corbin and Paul Goldschmidt, have twice visited Australia since the end of the 2013 season to promote the series. The team sacrificed two home games to participate and will be the home team for the games on March 22 and 23, and hopes to have the same kind of home team support from Australian fans.

Baseball may be still very much on the fringe of the Australian sports world — Rowland-Smith said he had a cousin ask for tickets to see the "Razorbacks" — but Hall hopes the team's enthusiasm for the trip creates a new set of fans in the Southern Hemisphere.

"There are a lot of D-Back fans now in Australia and New Zealand," Hall said. "When you go to hopefully sign a kid, say five years from now, they remember us having been there and perhaps they're watching us and following us and have dreams or visions of being in a D-Backs uniform one day. That's good. That's only a good thing."

Ross debuts

Outfielder Cody Ross made his Cactus League debut Sunday, pinch-hitting in Arizona's 6-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Salt River Fields. It was Ross' first action since requiring surgery after dislocating his right hip last August.

Ross has been facing live pitching for weeks in batting practice and in minor-league games, but struck out swinging when faced Brewers left-handed reliever Will Smith with two outs in the sixth inning.

"It's a little different than he's been facing," Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson said. "He had a tough at-bat."

If he had connected, Ross said he would have faced no limitations running the bases. The team hopes to get him some time in the outfield within a week.

"It was definitely just nice to get out there, no matter what the outcome, just to step in the box," Ross said. "To be where I was eight months ago and to get in there and compete, it was definitely something I really didn't think was possible at this time."

Arroyo update

Right-hander Bronson Arroyo threw his first bullpen since his back loosened up a couple days ago, and said he felt good. The 37-year-old hasn't pitched since Feb. 27 while dealing with a bulging disk.

Arroyo is scheduled to throw three innings and 45 pitches in a simulated game on Wednesday, and then could possibly get in a minor-league game five days later.

Heading Down Under

The wheels are up, and the Diamondbacks have taken 31 players to Australia for the season-opening series against the Dodgers. They'll have to set a 25-man roster from those 31 by Saturday. Here are the 31 on the trip:

The Cubs' Emilio Bonifacio makes an out at second on Diamondbacks' Miguel Montero and throws to first for the double play at Chase Field in Phoenix on Friday, March 28, 2014. Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

The Diamondbacks' Didi Gregorius makes an out at second and throws to first for a double play against the Cubs' Junior Lake at Chase Field in Phoenix on Friday, March 28, 2014. Patrick Breen/azcentral sports

The Diamondbacks' Trevor Cahill, right, looks down after getting a visit from catcher Miguel Montero after Cahill gave up a run to the Chicago Cubs in the fourth inning of a spring training baseball game, Friday, March 28, 2014, in Phoenix. Ross D. Franklin/AP

Trevor Cahill exhales as he walks off the field after giving up a run to the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of an exhibition baseball game, Friday, March 28, 2014, in Phoenix. Ross D. Franklin/AP

Sherry Farmer of Mesa eats a snow cone during the Spring Training game between the Diamondbacks and Indians at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday, March 27, 2014. David Wallace/The Republic

Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt attempts the tag out on the Indians Nyjer Morgan during the Spring Training game against the Indians at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday, March 27, 2014. Morgan was safe. David Wallace/The Republic

Diamondbacks outfielder Mark Trumbo looks on during an at bat during the Spring Training game against the Indians at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday, March 27, 2014. David Wallace/The Republic

The Indians Nyjer Morgan (center) high fives teammates in the dugout after scoring during the Spring Training game against the Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday, March 27, 2014. David Wallace David Wallace/The Republic

Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley gets tangles up with the Indians Nyjer Morgan while racing to tag him out at first during the Spring Training game at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Thursday, March 27, 2014. Morgan was safe. David Wallace/The Republic

Gerardo Parra tries for the ball in the outfield but misses during second inning action against the Chicago Cubs at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Tom Tingle/azcentral sports

Chicago Cubs Junior Lake pulls in a fly ball for the out in right field during action against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Wednesday, March 26, 2014. Tom Tingle/azcentral sports

March 13 - Endy Chavez of the Seattle Mariners slides into second as Cliff Pennington of the Diamondbacks misses the ball during first inning action at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. Tom Tingle/azcentral sports